Liebster Award

I was nominated by Amber from Natural Beauty for the Liebster Award. I am very thankful for receiving this award considering I just started my blog but grateful to be among many of the bloggers I love and follow than have been nominated.

This award is for up and comers with less than 200 followers. Here are the rules

1. Acknowledge the blogger who nominated you and display the award.
2. Answer eleven questions that the blogger gives you.
3. Give eleven random facts about yourself.
4. Nominate eleven blogs that you think deserve the award (they must have less than 200 followers.)
5. Let the bloggers know you nominated them.
6. Give them eleven questions to answer.

Here are the answers to Amber's questions.

1. Why did you start blogging? I have been experimenting with natural beauty products over the last few years and have looked to bloggers and you tubers for advice. Now that I have found some great products I would like to pass my knowledge on to others so that they may also be able to swap out their current beauty products for less toxic ones.
2.  What is your favorite blog post you have created? I have only created a few but I would say my first one about Physician's Formula products.
3. What is your favorite blog post created by someone else? I'm not sure that I have a favorite post but I do enjoy looking at well photographed makeup on blogs. This is something I hope to improve on my own blog.
4. What is your dream vacation? This one is easy. For the longest time I have wanted to go to Paris, France.
5. How would you spend your perfect day? I would probably treat myself to a day of pampering. I would start with breakfast at my favorite restaurant than go to the spa for a facial, massage, body treatment, manicure and pedicure. Then with the rest of the time in the day I would relax outdoors if the weather was warm and have a delicious meal and a glass of wine. 
6. Who is your favorite blogger or you tuber? My favorite bloggers are listed on the right side of my blog and from you tube I love vlogwithkendra and Shannon Sullivan
7. Coffee or tea? Tea.
8. What is the one thing you cannot leave the house without? My phone.
9. What in life makes you the most happy? Sharing my passion for nutrition and healthy living with others.
10. What advice would you give your younger self? That I would finally find my true passion later in life.
11. If you could relive any day, what would if be? Either the day I spent on Virgin Gorda of the British Virgin Islands or when I went snorkeling in a bay on Maui.

11 random facts about myself

1. I am a twin.
2. I am 26 years old.
3. For two years I owned and operated a 14 acre organic farm complete with 50 chickens and 6 goats.
4. I have been vegetarian for almost 4 years.
5. My heritage is dutch, and german but mostly french canadian.
6. I am a licensed esthetician.
7. I am obsessed with dark chocolate and rarely go a day without it.
8. My favorite show right now is American Horror Story.
9. I love the water so much one of my nicknames growing up was Swimmy Kimmy.
10. When I was in high school I thought I was going to go to college for fashion design...I didn't.  
11. I am a girly girl now who loves makeup and fashion but as a child I was a bit of a tomboy who loved to collect bugs and build forts in the woods.

Here are my question for the nominees

1. What is your favorite makeup brand?
2. What is your holy grail makeup product? 
3. What is your holy grail skincare product?
4. What makeup product do you buy the most of? (ex. blush, eyeliner, mascara)
5. Lipstick or lipgloss?
6. What is your favorite blogger or you tuber?
7. What is one beauty product that's not worth the hype?
8. What is one beauty product that's worth the hype?
9. What is a makeup trend you're loving right now?
10. What is your favorite skincare brand?
11. What is your favorite beauty tip or trick?

Here are the nominees

1. Ashley from Green Beauty Life
2. Christine from Makeup Guinea Pig
3. Kaitie from Peaches and Pearls
4. Katie from The Green Product Junkie
5. Jennifer and Kathryne from Unsullied
6. Maria from Maria Loves Green
7. Victoria from My Non Leather Life

So this is where I fell short. I tried to find 11 lovely ladies to give this award to but all other blogs I like have a huge following. Hopefully I will be able to find other up-and-comers like myself the longer I blog.

Raw Vegan Turtles

Last summer I became obsessed with raw vegan desserts and made everything from brownies to cheesecake. One day I was craving turtles but couldn't find a recipe I liked so I decided to create my own. This is by far my favorite raw dessert I have ever made. Be careful with these because while they may be healthier than a traditional turtle they will go fast and you may find yourself eating all seven within a few days...I may have been guilty of that.

This will make 7 turtles. 

Caramel- 1 cup dates, 1/4 ground up pecans, 1/2 t vanilla extract, 1 T agave, 1 T coconut oil. 

Mix all ingredients together in a food processor and form into 7 caramel patties. This will be your base. 

Then press 3 pecan halves into each patty and top with chocolate. 

Chocolate- 1/4 cup raw cacao powder, 3 T agave, 3 T coconut oil. Whip together until you have a smooth and creamy almost frosting like consistency. 

Apply to top and sprinkle on sea salt. Put in freezer to harden. 

Keep in fridge or freezer or they will melt or become very soft.

Has anyone tried raw vegan recipes before?

Fifth Time's a Charm

I have tried my fair share of natural deodorants over the years but have always ended up disappointed. Before I found Kiss My Face I tried Zion Health ClayDry deodorant, Tom's of Maine long lasting deodorant, Herbal Clear natural deodorant, and Alba Botanica clear enzyme deodorant with no luck. All of these products lasted between a few minutes and a few hours and required multiple applications throughout the day. I was about to give up hope and go back to my toxic aluminum filled deodorant when I was watching vlogbykendra and she mentioned this roll on stick. I was getting ready to place an order on vitacost and figured since it was only $3.41 I would try it out. (P.S. if you haven't ordered from vitacost I highly recommend you check them out.) I applied the product and threw it in my bag assuming I would have to reapply. To my surprise I made it eight hours before I could tell a light reapplication was needed. That being said this deodorant is not quite as powerful as a traditional one but it works so much better than all others I have tried before and even holds up fairly well during a workout. My only issue with this deodorant is that although it claims to not contain aluminum chlorhydrate it does contain potassium alum. (P.P.S. if you haven't read about the dangers of aluminum in deodorant google it now.) I have read multiple articles about potassium alum and still have trouble deciding if it's good or bad for me. Some say it is a natural form of aluminum and therefor not harmful and others say it is the same thing as using aluminum chlorhydrate. Since the jury is still out on this one I plan on finishing this product and then trying Funk Butter which I also found through vlogwithkendra. My final thought of this product is I do love it and have recommend it to others. While it may or may not be 100% toxin free it is loads better than the chemical filled traditional deodorant I was using before and the best natural one I have found as of now. Has anyone else tried Funk Butter and what did you think?

Wish List

These are just a few of the items I have been lusting after this month.

100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Blush in Mauvette: This brand is amazing. They make natural and cruelty free skin care, hair, nail, and makeup products. Their makeup products are colored with fruit and vegtable pigments instead of minerals and synthetic dyes. How cool is that? Their prices are a little on the high side but I'm willing to pay more for a truly clean product. $28

Acure Organics Brightening Facial Scrub Sea Kelp Plus Chlorella Growth Factor: I have been a fan of this line for some time now. I own their argan oil, a hair mask, and have tried their argan oil shampoo and conditioner. I was able to get a sample of this scrub from my local health food store and once I run out I will definitely be buying it. It is exfoliating without being abrasive and I like how it foams slightly. After using this my skin feels smooth but not overly dry. $14.99

Badger Organic Face Oil Damascus Rose With Lavender & Chamomile: This oil has a cult following on natural beauty blogs and I can see why after trying it on the back of my hand and my health food store. The oil is not overly heavy and makes your skin velvety soft. People who have used it clam it works wonders on all skin types and problems from blemishes of uneven skin tone. I need help in both areas and even though I need another face oil like I need and hole in the head I have a feeling I will be adding this to my collection soon. $13.99

Love & Toast Roller Perfume in Clementine Crush: I'm not a huge perfume person but ever since I smelled this scent at Ulta I can't stop thinking about it. It is a mixture of mandarin, ripened mango, vanilla sugar, and guava. You would think it would be overly sweet smelling but it's not. I think it's the vanilla sugar that balances it out and keeps it from smelling like a tropical smoothie. I plan on wearing this scent during the spring and summer. $11.99

Has anyone tried any of these products and if so what did you think?

EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetic Datebase

Cosmetic Database is a wonderful resource for anyone trying to clean up their overall consumption of toxic chemicals in a variety of health and beauty products. This website allows you to search over 72,000 products and then it rates them on a scale of 1 to 10 for toxicity. They also break down each ingredient in the searched product and tell you the health concerns if there are any. Use this site to search for clean health and beauty buys before or while you shop to make sure the products you buy are truly good for you and not just a product of deceptive marketing and greenwashing. What are your favorite green beauty buys?

Inspiration Board

                                      

I can't wait for warmer weather and spring clothing. Here are a few of the images I have been loving lately. What's your favorite part about spring?

Photos: Pintrest

Physicians Formula Organic Wear Review

Physicians Formula Organic Wear products are 100% free of harsh chemicals, synthetic preservatives, parabens, GMO's, synthetic fragrances, synthetic colors, and are also cruelty free.

2-in-1 Bronzer & Blush in Light Bronzer/Pink Rose: This duo claims to give you a sunkissed glow while accentuating your cheekbones and providing a natural looking finish. Both the blush and bronzer work perfectly on my light skin. Mostly I just use the blush but I plan on experimenting more with the bronzer in the warmer months. The overall look on the skin is very light and natural so you may need to apply a few layers for a more dramatic look. The product also fades a little throughout the day but will last through an eight hour workday. The bottom of the compact contains a mirror and a brush that is ok but would work if you were traveling and packing light. Overall I like this blush and may repurchase it. 0.19 Oz. $11.95

100% Natural Origin CC Color + Correction Cream in Light: Let me start by saying that I love this cream. This is the first CC or BB cream that I have tried and I do not feel the need to look for another. This cream has a light to medium coverage and evens out your skintone. I have redness and blemishes and it creates a smooth even canvas for other makeup products. If you need extra coverage you may need to go in with a concealer to cover large red blemishes or hyperpigmentation. I have oily skin so first I apply a primer and finish with a dusting of powder. This cream also contains an SPH 20. The makeup stays on my face throughout the day but blotting is required. It also feels very natural almost like a moisturizer instead of makeup. Overall I like this product and will continue to repurchase it. 1.2 Fl Oz. $14.95

Curl + Care Mascara in Ultra Black: This mascara claims to boost the curl of your lashes and provide 24 hour wearability. While this mascara does hold a curl for me I use my eyelash curler first. Without  the curler I don't think it would do much. The mascara definitely would not last for 24 hours. After about 4-6 hours on me it flakes and smudges. Do not rub your eyes or fall asleep in this because you will look like a raccoon. With this mascara you can build some volume and length and there is a small amount of clumping. Overall this mascara is not horrible but it is just ok. I will not be repurchasing this product. 0.26 Oz. $9.95

For me Physicians Formula Organic Wear products have been an affordable way to start my transition to organic makeup. The packaging is cute, the products are fair to good quality, the price is decent and it is convenient that you can purchase them at the drugstore. I would be willing to test other products they add to their line.